Rowers furiously paddle and careen around tight corners past packed crowds in southern China's Foshan, where the dragon boat racing is more "Fast and Furious" than your average contest. Believed to originate in ancient China, dragon boat racing has grown into an international sport and remains popular across the south of the country as a celebration of both tradition and athleticism. "I feel like the atmosphere in person is quite good, and I feel quite nervous. I can feel that everybody is cheering for a certain team. The atmosphere is great," says Zhang Yongle, a student from Shenzhen. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES